


Building Teams

by kyarorin



Category: Brave Police J-Decker
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Team Bonding, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, character shorts, existential thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-07
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-09-15 13:23:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9236945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyarorin/pseuds/kyarorin
Summary: A small series of shorts focusing on each of the Build Team members as they navigate life as new pieces of the worldly puzzle.





	1. Little Pleasures

Twisting his wrist back and forth, Power Joe watched the dwindling sunlight reflect off of fresh black paint – barely scratched from Screwdriver's claws – then glanced back at the sky framed by pylons of the barely begun Decker Room and the arching reach of nearby skyscrapers. Soon enough it would be covered, blocking the sky and lit with florescent lights.

It almost seemed a shame, to willingly put themselves into a little box like that.

The digger hummed thoughtfully, hands now cushioning his head as he continued to contemplate – everything.

Things looked different when lying on his back, an ocular illusion that twisted his perspective, made an already confusing world suddenly curved and looming; yet at the same time, interesting and exciting.

Even his teammates looked different from his preferred vantage point, McCrane's brow furrowed and far away, expression darkened by the setting sun. “Power Joe?”

“Ah?”

The crane's head tilted, light glinting off his seemingly far away helm. “Why are you on the ground?”

Power Joe shrugged and quirked a small grin, “Eh, because it's more comfortable than the docking bays.” He pushed himself up onto his elbows, looking at his unit leader for a moment – really looking, comparing the hazy memories before he'd been given sentience to now, a little scruffier, a little less new  – and shrugging. “Or the wall.”

Green optics glinted and glowed for a second before McCrane was on the ground next to him, nestling between Power Joe and their supplies. The other mech thrummed for a moment, his systems clicking quietly as he sorted through all the data. He was a warm spot on his thermal sensors, his optics still focused on the clouds above “Hm.”

“Heh, you sound surprised.” Power Joe smirked and stretched. “I'm not gonna do something stupid and stand all the time, I need to keep my joints loose and spry for my kung-fu.”

Audials picked up the sound of dirt being scraped, McCrane's helm shifting to look at him. “The docking bays provide enough support to keep us in top shape.”

“Ground's better,” Power Joe said, huffing, remembering the sting of Yuuta's scolding at the school earlier that day.

McCrane chuckled before following his line of sight once again. “So it is.”  



	2. Small Rebellions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Gawan, McCrane is unsettled and helps takes a few steps to assert the identity of the Braves.

It isn’t punishment, per se. 

But even after Colonel Onoue's intervention, the Vice Commissioner had insisted that the Brave Police fix what they had broken. After all, Azuma had reasoned, the Build Team was meant to  _ build _ things as well as investigate hi-tech crimes. It wouldn't be that strange for them to fix the bridge they had helped decimate.

Looking over the carnage that is the riverbank, McCrane can’t help the curl of unease, aborting a shiver that he wants to let loose. 

He'd caused that. 

It had been an excellent shot, slipping through the ventilator-shell without chafing and igniting the incendiaries right on time. Almost- satisfying, after the upset Gawan had caused by simply existing. 

“Oi, McCrane,” the voice starts him out of his unease- he’s their leader, he’s supposed to sure of himself and his decisions, not second guessing himself and avoiding reflection on his earlier actions. “Where do you want the supplies?” Dumpson asks, tilting his helm inquisitively.

McCrane scowls, frowning at the bridge’s specs. There’s a thousand different improvements he and his team could make- to make it easier to drop in case of another monster, most likely created by the same damned scientists. Or, just... better, longer lasting. It seems with every assignment they’re sent out on McCrane can see where the humans should be building for strength and resilience, not trying to cut corners as much as possible.  

“McCrane?”

“Ah, put them over by the west bank’s column, close to the scaffolding.”

Dumpson gives him a lopsided grin and nods, easily stepping around Seia's men as they set up the falsework to put down his load. His subordinate and budding friend returns, crossing his arms. 

“What?”

“You’re normally quiet, but this is ridiculous,” Dumpson says, and McCrane almost- almost turns his head to look at the clean-up crew, covered in gore. His partner returns his frown. “Something’s bothering you.”

Team leaders must be exemplary, never showing their doubts and leading their men to the right path of action. But Power Joe is laid back, with a fretful rebellious streak, and Dumpson is quick to anger and take action before he's given orders; yet the four times they successfully returned from an assignment he'd been mobbed by enthusiastic claps on the back and invitations to lie down on the forming concrete floor of their operations room. 

They're in such a strange situation as far as he knows; one of four sapient robots in existence, with no other company but his team and Deckerd, and no matter how he tries, he can't quite understand their human counterparts. 

He shakes his head, looking back down at the specs for the bridge. “The original design was sound, good for a few years. I think we could improvise and improve it- even for something like another Gawan.”

The dump truck tilts his helm, thrumming thoughtfully as Power Joe comes over, his stride laconic and confident. “Hey, if we’re gonna be changing things around here, why don't we make the Deckerd Room suit  _ us _ ?”

McCrane shifts, already thinking of how they could change the room from the cold sterility of the holding bays, meant to keep them in place until needed, wide and open and mechanical. Inhuman. “We should ask Deckerd first, and see what he thinks.” The Build Team leader says with some finality, his lip curling up just a bit in a smile. 

\---

Of course Deckerd approved of the changes, cheerfully sharing with them memories files of the Tomonaga household and even some detective shows Boss had showed him. McCrane committed to the plan and began, heads bowed with the other two, discussing where they should place the desks, to make the room  _ theirs _ . 


	3. Hooked On A Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How does one describe and understand a person when you've only been sentient for a short time?

Dumpson doesn’t quite know how to handle- well, anything really- but Ayako truly threw him for a loop. Inside the police there were cleanly laid out rules and regulations to be followed... mostly. Things were in the air when it came to them; it wasn’t like they could follow standard procedure in most situations, their size and their strength forbade that. The fact that they were to investigate and fight high-tech crime meant they had to at least use them as guidelines, but interacting with non-criminal humans?

That was another thing, entirely.

And Dumpson wasn’t sure just exactly how Ayako made him feel.

Frustrated? Yes, she took risks that were outright dangerous! Her life hadn’t depended on crossing the street at that exact moment, her life hadn’t depended on getting to bottom of the sudden and strange trends going on (that had been his job, thank you very much).

Impressed? ...yes, that too. Her help had been invaluable in finding and capturing that clownish duo; and she was witty and smart, if somewhat impulsive.

He nearly dropped his tools when he felt a hand on his shoulder. “McCrane! Don’t startle me like that!”

His team leader chuckled softly, tilting his head, “Not paying attention to your sensors, I see.”

The red mech vented and shook his head, “Just lost in thought, is all.”

“I can tell,” and that gentle remark eased some of the strain Dumpson was feeling. This he knew, he might not know everything about his fellow mechs, but at least he understood them. Knew exactly how he felt: welcome, part of them, and valued.

Meanwhile some humans embraced them like the Chief and Yuuta, or questioned their very right to exist. “I don’t understand humans,” he blurted out, grimacing and bunching up when McCrane shuttered his optics in surprise.

“That’s ok, they don’t seem to understand us... or themselves, really.”

Frowning, Dumpson returned McCrane’s tilted helm, waiting for the other mech to elaborate. The crane was always thoughtful and introspective.

It was Power Jow who answered though, “Have you seen Chief and Azuma-Sokan interact?” He laughed, sauntering over and enveloping them with his field. “Azuma barely knows what to say when Chief goes on a roll about the ‘marvelous future,’ it’s hilarious.”

“Hm, the children as well. Deckard's shown me some memories of when Yuuta and Kurumi fight over inconsequential things.”

Both Dumpson and Power Joe gave McCrane a curious look, and their leader smiled.

The day was done, the paperwork finished, and suspects were being watched in confinement by those who were trained to do it. No reason to keep going. “Everything urgent has been dealt with for today, yeah? We can call it a night?”

At McCrane’s nod, the two followed him out and towards one of the few rooms truly private to the Brave’s: a conference room that was far, far more comfortable and had a few more secrets than Azuma or Saejima knew.

One of the many pluses of being able to research and process things in-depth at far greater speeds than a human was that this room could transform to fit their needs at a simple command.

(Dumpson was quite sure Todou had a inkling of what they’d done, but... No reason to let the cat out of the bag, now was there?)

Curled up with the other two, linked cables draping over each of their frames, both mechs reviewed the memories Deckard had shared with McCrane, Power Joe snorting in amusement that the most recent fight was over how to cook rice of all things.

Helms pressed together, Dumpson frowned. Unlike them, humans could only communicate through body language and sound and text- things easily got lost in translation or misunderstood. How much easier would it be to be able to feel them too? To take in another’s sensory data so you knew exactly where they were coming from?

Sure, sometimes the mechs fought, and unlike the fights between the two siblings, the only time things got worse was when the other refused to link to understand.

And maybe that was the problem with why Ayako both intrigued and frustrated him.

Twin pulses of curiosity washed over him and Dumpson felt his frame go rigid in embarrassment. She wore her emotions plainly, leaving herself open for all to see and yet no one could ever truly know her the way the Brave’s knew each other.

Still, for all he felt like he was a stranger to her, he still liked her.

“Ooooh, Dumpson’s got a crush~!” Power Joe sang, pressing McCrane closer to him as he leaned over to poke the red mech on the helm.

“I do not!” He bristled and then huffed. There was no need to speak the words: he respected her, and despite the barriers between their kind, he wanted to know her. As much as he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dumpson is cute and my boy and I love him and his girlfriend Ayako.
> 
> what amuses me is that these kept getting consecutively longer for each character


	4. In Keeping of Eachother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life isn't all sunshine and crime fighting, especially for Drill Boy and Power Joe.

Drill Boy crossed his arms and pursed his lips together in displeasure. It took every iota of his  _ being _ to not huff and stomp his feet. He could be mature, damnit!

Stupid Power Joe and his stupid kung fu...

“Drill Boy,” McCrane said, gently pulling his attention back from its sullen cycle of resentment and hurt. 

“WHAT.”

...and that was much louder and much more petulant sounding than he had wanted it to be.

McCrane’s vents released slowly and his optics blinked, “I know you and Power Joe don’t get along but-”

“He’s treating me unfairly!” Drill Boy burst out, all the little stings and barbs and annoyed sighs and grunts the other mech had made coming back in a rush of memories and hurt. 

“I know,” McCrane’s voice was stern but his expression was gentle, understanding. And somehow that made Drill Boy feel all the more like the child Power Joe accused him of being.  _ Un _ like certain mechs, at least he didn’t expressly hang out with kindergarteners, thank you very much! The local soccer teams knew him quite well,  _ and _ he was friends with the precinct’s team!

McCrane pinched the bridge of his nose, “I know he’s treating you unfairly- but you have to understand, out of the three of us original team members, he was the last to get the chip and thus come online as a truly sentient being.” The mech smiled a little wryly, “I suppose you could say he’s feeling a little put out at not being the baby anymore.”

Drill Boy’s sour expression became even more pursed, “But why do  _ I _ have to be the mature one and apologize? I was just playing!”

The older mech sighed again, the kind of noise almost everyone made when they thought he was acting like a kid. Well, so what!? Yuuta was a kid and he was in charge of their entire division. He could be a Brave  _ and _ be a kid too.

“You’re quite right, though I’d advise you not play kickball with Shadowmaru in the halls again.” He held up a hand when Drill Boy started to protest. “There’s the conference room, I know we’re all too large to try truly playing outside. All I’m asking is for you to link up to Power Joe to show you weren’t trying to intentionally hit him with it.”

So many unkind thoughts through Drill Boy’s processor and he shook his head. “No.” This time  _ he _ held up the hand to keep McCrane from responding, his voice quiet but shaky with hurt. “I have to be the one ask every time. Every time, McCrane! Even after I’d said I’m sorry, even after I’ve apologized, he never asks to share on his own.  _ And _ he doesn’t apologize for being mean, either. If he really wants me to act more ‘grown up’ then he should too.”

His leader’s mouth opened for half a second before he stopped and then closed it, lips pursing together in a thin line. And then he nodded.

That was... highly unexpected. 

It was such a normal occurrence to be treated like the Brave Police’s (well, mostly Power Joe’s) butt monkey that he honestly hadn’t expected McCrane to  _ agree _ with him. Listen? Well, yes, of course! McCrane was a good mech like that.

A, really, really good mech and a good team leader to boot, Drill Boy would later realize, as Power Joe came up to him that evening with an abashed and grimacing look on his face. “Hey...”

“Heya, Joe...” He said warily, watching his teammate shift and frown and look conflicted.

“Look, McCrane said I should just talk to you, so here I am and-” He stopped, his vents hissing in frustration. There was a moment of silence and a rumble of Power Joe’s engine as he straightened himself from his slouch as though he was trying to force everything about himself into a straight line. “I’m sorry, ok? You’re loud and obnoxious sometimes, but I don’t hate you.”

The corner of Drill Boy’s optic twitched, “ _ I’m- _ ?! So’re you!”

If anything, the yellow mech seemed to straighten even more from sheer indignation. “I practice kung fu! We’re  _ supposed _ to yell! It’s a serious art and-” He stopped, and rubbed a palm against his face. “Right, right. Not like soccer doesn’t take skill and practice either, but- Look, I meant what I said, I don’t hate you, I just... get annoyed.”

That hurt; yet when he looked away Power Joe reached out and gently nudged him by his chin to look back. 

“I’m not used to that sort of thing from another bot, ok?” The older mech grumbled, “I don’t know how to explain it, it’s one thing to hear kids being loud and running wild all over the place, it’s another from you and it’s just weird how- how everything changed. Heck, Shadowmaru barely even cracked jokes or really hung around until you popped up.” 

Power Joe’s nose wrinkled when Drill Boy just gave him a pout; no matter how hard he tried to hide it in his field, he knew the other member of the Build Team could feel the small, disappointed ache, the feeling of being unwanted. 

Grunting in frustration, Power Joe moved his hand to twine his fingers with Drill Boy, the panel near his wrist jack retracting. “Look, just link up with me. We’ll get this sorted out and... Sorry. I was being an ass.”

A jealous ass. That was clear the second the firewall handshake finalized, as Power Joe laid himself bare for Drill Boy to see: Unlike the rest of them, Drill Boy was  _ allowed _ to be carefree and, in a way, almost a human child. He’d grow and mature like the rest of them, but his own starting point was something Power Joe... envied. While he had been given time inside the lab to interact and observe and  _ process _ the fact of simply having thoughts and emotions, the Build Team has quite literally been simple machines one day and fully realized sentient being the next. 

There’d been no adjustment period, just an expectation that they’d transition into the world of crime fighting easily and smoothly. 

_ Oh _ ... 

Power Joe pulled him into a hug, apology and chagrin evident in his field as they quietly stood there, the taller mech’s chin resting on Drill Boy’s helm. This was... nice. A soothing flow of emotions, thoughts,  _ understanding _ going between them without the need for easily misunderstood words.

There was no need to scold Power Joe for being mean to him in the first place, he knew why- he knew Power Joe regretted it, and that was enough for him for now. So. 

Maybe he could be a little more mature and invite his fellow mech to goof off along with him and Shadowmaru, instead of having to hang out in children’s parks?

The yellow mech huffed in annoyed and lightly batted Drill Boy’s shoulder. “Yeah, yeah- That is  _ partially _ why I hang out with the school kids a lot. Keep laughing, they need someone to inspire them and we’re probably gonna be working those who grow up to join the force! It's outreach.”

“It’s not because you’re a creep?” Drill Boy teased, looking up at the underside of Power Joe’s chin, and letting out a squawking laugh when, this time, Power Joe batted the side of his helm.

“Don’t push your luck, brat. But I’ll join the next soccer match, yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen, I Did Not Like how Power Joe treated Drill Boy a lot of the time, esp at the beginning, so I wrote a thing about it

**Author's Note:**

> I first thought of and started this series of little vignettes in May, 2012. TWENTY TWELVE!!! And then I got stuck on Dumpson's until, quite literally, last week. (I started Dumpson's in June of 2012 and rewrote it what feels like a million times.)
> 
> iirc Power Joe was supposed to be an ass in this but apparently he had other things to say.


End file.
